The Adventures of Ichabod Temperance series:
A Matter of Temperance
A World of inTemperance
For the Love of Temperance
The Measure of Temperance

First sentence(s):
I will not endure the oppression of this dungeon another day.

The stench of too many men, sharing too little air, in too small of a confine, is an unending assault against me, my pride, and the terrible powers which I represent.

"T'was the hand of Fate that brought Miss Plumtartt and me together for in truth, we have been happenstance-stricken and adventure prone ever since." -Ichabod Temperance from "For the Love of Temperance".

Ichabod Temperance and Persephone Plumtartt are once again caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and danger! New friends and old join our plucky heroes as they struggle to protect planet Earth from unspeakable ruin in the form of an overwhelming zombie cataclysm!

What's this? In the midst of their most trying ordeal, Icky and Persephone have a tiff? Certainly, this is a novel full of calamity!

This is one of those stories that tickles. I found myself chuckling throughout the reading from the word play, foreign accents and innuendos (and not).

Some travel is involved with fun mentions and description of Southern California sites of their times. There is also an attendance of an unusual Carnivalle.

A love triangle makes an appearance as well during the pursuit of a bad guy named Sku Le'Bizarre.

I would recommend reading the printed version as the presentation of the story includes a smattering of font styles in dialogue which creates a playful vibe. There are also amusing skull images at the end of each chapter - such a variety. And of course, I loved the (voodoo) zombie presence.

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

=====> Books Passage of San Francisco presented Tim Floreen and his debut novel!
Here are a few things he shared:
- wanted to write a book he would have loved to read at the YA age
- wanted to present an LGBTQ person as a main character

=====> Signed up to participate to share books and movies with the LOVE theme.

UNBOXING:

From Owlcrate package (details & signup):OwlCrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on. #owlcrate

She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

In this beautifully twisted historical thriller, Mindy McGinnis, acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, explores the fine line between sanity and insanity, good and evil—and the madness that exists in all of us.

=====> Such a treat to get box subscriptions - mostly for the surprise of which book is selected. Happy dance! A Madness So Discreet was on my want list and GOT it :-)

| Website
Starring: Fedor AlexandrovichAs his country is gripped by revolution and war, a Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life and play his part in the revolution by revealing it.

Artem, Chad, Fedor

=====> I have been trying to incorporate more documentary films in my viewing and had the opportunity to catch a special showing of this which included Q&A with the director and artist in the film. The film reveals a perspective of the situation in Ukraine and the Chernobyl incident through the eyes of an artist - some surreal moments and awesome shots of Duga.

Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac.
=====> My first foray into learning about the man behind the name. I left the theatre wanting to know more. The film style reminded me of Birdman in that there were scenes of constant movement in and around the performance event spaces that Steve was going to make his big presentations.

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* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

First sentence(s):
Laughter surrounds me from all sides. I high-five my way through the crowd of jocks and rich princesses filling the hallway.

Hawke Evans is the drummer for the Grammy winning Sphere of Irony. The quiet, tattooed and pierced hottie behind a pair of geek chic glasses is hiding a seriously troubled adrenaline junkie with a death wish.

Abby Kessler is studying psychology at UCLA. Her desire to help those fighting mental illness stems from a life-changing incident in her past.

When Abby meets Hawke backstage at a local club, she’s instantly attracted to his bad boy good looks. But when she discovers the damaged man beneath the beautiful exterior, she’s compelled to make up for past mistakes.

How long will it take for Hawke to realize his reckless behavior isn’t only endangering him, but the hearts of those around him? How long will it take for Abby to see that she can’t help someone who has no desire to be fixed?

***This is book 4 in the Sphere of Irony Series. It can be read as a standalone. This is a spin-off of the Famous Series***

My two-bits:

My first encounter with this series and I liked it!

This story gets into the inner turmoil both Abby and Hawke have to struggle with throughout their relationship. I liked how this love story progressed (several years) with growth from both characters.

Loved how each character is spotlighted in this group of friends as well as the two main ones. Makes me want to read the rest of the series.

About the author:

Heather C. Leigh is the author of the Amazon best selling Famous series. She likes to write about the 'dark' side of fame. The part that the public doesn't get to see, how difficult it is to live in a fishbowl and how that affects relationships.

Heather was born and raised in New England and currently lives outside Atlanta, GA with her husband, 2 kids, and French Bulldog, Shelby.

She loves the Red Sox, the Patriots, and anything chocolate (but not white chocolate, everyone knows it's not real chocolate so it doesn't count) and has left explicit instructions in her will to have her ashes snuck into Fenway Park and sneakily sprinkled all over while her family enjoys beer, hot dogs, and a wicked good time.

Meet Hawke and Abby in the newest standalone in the Sphere of Irony Series.

“Go away, Evans. I’m talking this nice girl.” This prick has no idea how close I am to snapping or what Abby means to me. The way Brad says ‘girl’, combined with the obvious ‘fuck off so I can get laid’ look in his eyes, seals Brad’s fate.

Blinded by rage, I pull back my arm and drill my fist right into his smug face.

“Fuck!” Brad cries out. He touches his mouth to find his lip split open and bleeding.

“Move,” I hiss, shooting a murderous glare over Abby’s shoulder at Brad, who is still holding his hand up to his mouth.

The rest of the room has gone silent, everyone stopping to stare at the disruption, eager to watch a good fight. Dax must have either left or is holed up in his room with Kate, otherwise he’d be right in the middle of things, using his enormous muscles and underground fighting skills to put an end to the confrontation.

“Don’t,” Abby begs, forcing me to look at her by stepping into my line of sight. When I meet her eyes, shimmering with tears and betrayal, all of the rage I felt for Brad turns into frustration with Abby for drinking and putting herself in the situation with Brad to begin with.

“Leave,” I bark at Brad, pointing at the front door. Before she can protest, I grab Abby’s wrist and haul her to my room. She stumbles behind me on her high heels. Using my foot, I slam the door shut with a bang.

Her mouth drops open and her eyes bulge. “Are you kidding me right now?”

I step forward, crowding her in a corner of the tiny space I share with Gavin. “Oh, I’m far from fucking kidding, Abby. He’s a slimy douchebag who wants nothing more than to get you drunk and fuck you.”
“So what? It’s none of your business who I sleep with!” Abby puts her hands on her hips and scowls. It’s almost adorable, until she continues her rant, going straight for the jugular. “I don’t say anything about the whores you bang every night!”

I step closer, Abby’s back now pressed against the bathroom door. I lean forward, dropping my hands to cage her in on either side of her head. Her breathing picks up and I drop my gaze to drag up her sinful body, ending at her heart-stopping eyes. “Don’t you get it, Abby?” My voice lowers as I finally confess what I’ve held inside for too long. “I don’t want Brad touching you. I don’t want anyone touching you! I want you. You’re mine.”

Abby gasps, either in shock at my declaration, or with desire. I don’t wait to find out because at that moment, I lean closer, letting my hips press against hers so she can feel exactly how much I want her. Abby’s eyes fall to my mouth, her thick lashes fluttering against flushed skin. When her pink tongue darts out to lick her lips, any remaining willpower I possessed dissolves into nothingness.

I tilt my head to see if that mouth tastes as sweet as she smells, but Abby holds me back with a hand to my chest. A fist squeezes around my heart. Of course she doesn’t want me. Why would she? I’m a fucked up mess and she knows it.

Abby inhales a shaky breath, drawing my attention back to her eyes once more. “What’s your real name?” she asks.

“What?” I pull my brows together.

“Your real name. I… I don’t want my first time to be with someone whose name I don’t know,” she whispers, her cheeks blazing red with embarrassment.

I huff out a laugh. “Henry. It’s Henry Walker Evans.”

“Like Gavin Walker?”

I shake my head. “No relation.”

“Henry,” she says, smiling as she trails her trembling fingers up my chest, over my collarbone, to wrap around the back of my neck. “Kiss me, Henry.”

Without hesitation, I lift my hands from the door to cup her flushed cheeks, letting my full weight press against her body. Abby’s tongue darts out to wet her lips, sending a rush of blood straight to my groin. I groan in pleasure. “God, I’ve been wanting to do this forever.” Before she can answer, I lean in and our mouths connect.

Abby melts against the door, her muscles going limp, allowing me to control the kiss. When I slide my tongue against the seam of her lips, she lets out a throaty moan that vibrates all the way to my toes. Her mouth parts on a soft exhale, the sound sending little sparks of electricity dancing across my skin. I’m so turned on, so desperate to taste and feel every part of her, that my brain turns off and instinct takes over. Primal, animal instinct to possess, to claim, to make her mine.

First sentence(s):
Honoria slid her pencil tip over the textured paper, angling the graphite to shade her drawn tree.

Everyone in Arnn - a small farming town with more legends than residents - knows the story of Witchwood Hollow: if you venture into the whispering forest, the witch will trap your soul among the shadowed trees. After losing her parents in a horrific terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, fifteen-year-old Honoria and her older brother escape New York City to Arnn.

In the lure of that perpetual darkness, Honoria finds hope, when she should be afraid. Perhaps the witch can reunite her with her lost parents. Awakening the witch, however, brings more than salvation from mourning, for Honoria discovers a past of missing children and broken promises. To save the citizens of Arnn from becoming the witch's next victims, she must find the truth behind the woman's madness. How deep into Witchwood Hollow does Honoria dare venture?

PeekAbook:

My two-bits:

I found this to be a light witch-y tale perfect for getting into the Halloween mood.

There are flashbacks into history and flash forwards to the present that eventually gel in the end and leaves you with an a-ha moment.

Not too spooky or scary. However, can make you leery before walking in the woods.

About the author:

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, writes down her nightmares in order to live her dreams. With an eclectic job history behind her, she is now diving into the world of author. It happens to be her most favorite one yet.

When she’s not creating art or searching for lost history in the woods, she’s updating her blog. Jordan is the president of the Utica Writers Club. She roams Central New York, but she loves to travel.

In today’s “lean in” era, debut novelist Siobhan Adcock casts the issue of whether women can ever “have it all” into a superbly written novel that will have readers everywhere talking. Bridget has given up her career to raise her daughter, but now a terrifying presence has entered their Texas home—and only Bridget can feel it. In 1902, motherhood spurs Rebecca to turn her back on her husband, despite her own misgivings. As Adcock crosscuts these two women’s stories with mounting tension, each arrives at a terrible ordeal of her own making.

About the author:

Siobhan Adcock received her MFA in fiction from Cornell University, and her short fiction has appeared in several literary magazines. She has worked as a writer and editor for Epicurious, Gourmet.com, iVillage.com, and The Knowm among other digital publishers. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.

Nicole Tepper has it all—beauty, popularity, and the perfect boyfriend. But after a party she can’t remember, she wakes up in a ghostly state, trapped between life and death. Nicole’s injured body is lying in a wooded area, but she has no idea where—or how long she has left to live.

Only one person can hear her now: Dale Finnegan, a loner classmate that Nicole has relentlessly bullied. Dale’s the last person in school who would want to help her, but he sets their tangled history aside to try to save her life. As they dig into what happened at the party, they discover her boyfriend isn’t as perfect as he seems—and neither are her friends. With the clock ticking down and her life slipping away, Nicole must face a hard truth: Was what happened to her a terrible accident? Or does someone want her dead?

My two-bits:

Some paranormal kind of activity in this one which moves this story along.

Loved how the main character, Nicole, goes through a coming-of-self throughout the story. At first I did not care for her, but by the end I was rooting for her.

A touch of romance but more of friendship shines through too.

About the author:

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books, ranging in genres from Fantasy to Romantic Suspense to Contemporary Romance. She loves the variety and is excited about the books she has coming out in 2015.

First sentence(s):
I'm drowning. The river's current is tearing me apart.

Named by Harper’s Bazaar as a book that could be the next Gone Girl.

From a phenomenal new voice in suspense fiction comes a book that will forever change the way you look at the people closest to you…

Shadow Cove, Washington, is the kind of town everyone dreams about—quaint streets, lush forests, good neighbors. That’s what Sarah thinks as she settles into life with her new husband, Dr. Johnny McDonald. But all too soon she discovers an undercurrent of deception. And one October evening when Johnny is away, sudden tragedy destroys Sarah’s happiness.

Dazed and stricken with grief, she and Johnny begin to rebuild their shattered lives. As she picks up the pieces of her broken home, Sarah discovers a shocking secret that forces her to doubt everything she thought was true—about her neighbors, her friends, and even her marriage. With each stunning revelation, Sarah must ask herself, Can we ever really know the ones we love?

My two-bits:

Although a thriller, this felt more like a light mystery in regards to fidelity.

There are twists and turns that strung my curiosity along. But the unlikable characters made this one a hard read because I did not care one way or another about the final outcome.

About the author:

As a child, A. J. Banner loved reading everything from Nancy Drew to Tolkien to her parents’ spy novels, “borrowed” from their bookshelves and hidden beneath her pillow. She wrote her first thriller, Mystery at Crane Corner, at the age of 11. She drew her own cover art and bound the pages with staples.

Born in India and raised in North America, A. J. graduated from high school in southern California and received degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. She tried various professions after college – some more successfully than others – including a stint in law school, an office management position, and a memorable job at a veterinary clinic, since she loves animals, but eventually she returned to writing. Her first novel of psychological suspense, The Good Neighbor is now available on Kindle and in audiobook and paperback formats from Lake Union Publishing.

A longtime fan of Agatha Christie, Daphne du Maurier, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, A. J. feels at home writing stories with unexpected twists and turns. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three rescued cats.

First sentence(s):
My eyes went around the room.
Threadbare navy curtains.
A bed that reeked of stale cigarettes and body odor.
A bottle of Grey Goose.

A scarred fighter…
A girl with rules…
A night to remember…

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more.

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

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Bought:

City On Fire
by Garth Risk Hallberg
-Historical, New YorkAmazon | Goodreads

=====> This is a chunkster at 944 pages. Been hearing rave reviews. Plan to hunker down with this during the cold winter months.

August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.

But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.

Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?

Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, Wonder is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.

Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive jock, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them--first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

With wit, heart, and humor to spare, First & Then is a contemporary novel about falling in love--with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.

In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers.